Learn how to make Instant Pot chicken stock from leftover chicken bones, vegetable scraps, garlic, and fresh herbs! Homemade chicken stock is beyond easy to prepare, nutritious, and so versatile.
Just like our Instant Pot vegetable stock and bone broth recipes, this Instant Pot chicken stock is so easy to make, and can be used up in many different recipes!
If you want to get the best bang for your buck, homemade chicken stock is an obvious way to turn your kitchen waste into a rich, savory broth perfect for soups, gravy, sauce, and more. This Instant Pot method has been tested to extract the most flavor from your chicken bones and food scraps while keeping your prep time minimal. While there aren't many steps, I promise each one is vital to getting a clear broth that both tastes delicious and provides the wholesome nutrition you're looking for. Don't forget to check the variations and FAQ section; I've made this so many times in so many ways, I want to help you learn from my mistakes!
Best of all, this recipe is so easy to make (the Instant Pot does all the hard work) and it is freezer friendly. It's also low carb and gluten-free!
Why You'll Love This Homemade Chicken Stock
- it's a great way to use up a chicken carcass and make use of veggie scraps
- no need to watch a pot boiling on the stove- dump the ingredients into the Instant Pot and let it do all the work for you
- it stores great for meal prep in the fridge or freezer
What is Chicken Stock?
Chicken stock is a nutrient-dense liquid that you can make by simmering chicken bones, vegetables, and herbs in water. The connective tissue and bones break down, releasing tons of vitamins, minerals, and flavor into the water. After you strain out the solids, this flavorful liquid becomes a great base for soups, pasta sauces, etc. It's freezable and the perfect way to save money in the kitchen!
Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see how to make Instant Pot chicken stock! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe Ingredients
Chicken stock is extremely flexible, and great to use up what you might have leftover in the fridge. With that being said, there are some basics you'll require:
- Chicken bones - use leftover chicken bones or a whole leftover chicken carcass; we used 1.5 lbs/ 750 g of chicken bones in the photos above. Note: you can store chicken bones, skin, cartilage and scraps in the freezer in a sealed freezer bag for up to a year before making chicken stock!
- Herbs - for this batch of chicken stock we used rosemary and thyme, but parsley and sage also taste great in homemade chicken stock
- Veggie scraps - you can use carrot peels, celery leaves, fresh herbs, onion skins (make sure dirt is removed), and any other vegetable leftovers you have!
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Combine
In the stainless steel insert of a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, combine the chicken bones, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, fresh herbs, sea salt and water. Add in additional vegetable scraps if using.
Cook
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, allow for a full natural pressure release (this might take up to 1 hour; if you are in a rush, allow for a 20 minute natural release before carefully releasing the remaining pressure).
Strain
Strain off solids and collect stock in a large bowl or measuring cup. Store stock in mason jars or soup storage containers. Use in soups or as a cooking liquid.
Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe Variations
- Slow Cooker: Instead of pressure cooking, add all ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Stove Top: Place ingredients into a large pot or Dutch oven with a lid. Simmer the broth for 2 hours, then complete directions regarding straining and freezing according to the recipe.
Optional Ingredients for Extra Flavor
- add 2- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- sautée veggies before pressure cooking
- add 1 -2 teaspoons of turmeric powder, or 1 inch fresh turmeric root
- bay leaf
- add 2 tablespoons of miso paste for umami flavor
- add 1-2 sheets of kombu for umami flavor
How to Use Homemade Chicken Stock
- cooking liquid - works great as a cooking liquid for rice (see how to cook rice) or quinoa (see how to cook perfect, fluffy quinoa) to add extra flavor
- in soups - chicken stock tastes better than store bought and makes the perfect base for this leftover turkey soup or this stuffed pepper soup
- freezer meals - chicken stock works well in any recipe that calls for chicken or vegetable stock. Ex: these Instant Pot chipotle lime chicken breasts and this Instant Pot honey sesame chicken
How to Store Instant Pot Chicken Stock
- Fridge - store in an airtight container the fridge for up to 4 days
- Freezer - store in jars (see tips below for freezing in jars) or freezer containers. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Tips for Freezing In Jars
Here are a few tips for freezing black beans in mason jars to avoid the jars breaking:
- Make sure to select canning jars; repurposed pasta sauce or food jars are not designed to withstand dramatic temperature shifts and can break.
- Avoid jars that have 'shoulders' and taper in at the top, as they are more prone to breaking
- Leave an inch from the top of the jar empty to account for expansion when freezing
- Leave the lids ajar until the beans are frozen solid- at this point, you can secure them!
Best Chicken Stock Recipe FAQs
Chicken stock is typically made by simmering the bones with mirepoix (celery, onion and carrot) whereas broth is simply any liquid that meat has been cooked in. Read more about it here.
Yes, absolutely! See how to make turkey stock for more specifics.
While chicken stock and bone broth can be used interchangeably, they are not the same. The process starts the same (simmering bones for a long period of time), but you generally cook the bones much, much longer to create bone broth. This longer cooking process increases the collagen, gelatin, and minerals in the resulting liquid.
Instant Pot is a popular brand for a helpful kitchen appliance with multiple cooking methods. The primary cooking method (and the one we're using here) is pressure cooking. The pot builds pressure to create steam to cook foods quicker than stovetop methods. In this recipe, that high pressure helps extract tons of nutrients and flavor from the various bones, veggies, and herbs you included to create an amazing chicken stock.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Best Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe (Instant Pot)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken bones 26 oz; 750 g; see note 1
- 4 celery stalks coarsely chopped
- 3 carrots coarsely chopped
- 1-2 onions quartered
- 4 cloves garlic whole or minced
- 1 handful fresh herbs see note 2
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 cups water
- other vegetable scraps see note 3
Instructions
- Combine- In the stainless steel insert of a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, combine the chicken bones, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, fresh herbs, sea salt and water. Add in additional vegetable scraps if using.
- Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, allow for a full natural pressure release.
- Strain- Strain off solids and collect stock in a large bowl or measuring cup. Store in mason jars or soup storage containers. Use in soups or as a cooking liquid.
Tips:
- store chicken bones, skin, cartilage and scraps from in a freezer bag for up to a year before making stock.
- 2 sprigs rosemary and 8-10 sprigs thyme were added in photos; a handful of parsley and 8-10 sage leaves are also great
- add carrot peels, celery leaves, fresh herbs, onion skins, and any other vegetable leftovers you have.
- Fridge - store in an airtight container the fridge for up to 4 days
- Freezer - store in jars (see tips below for freezing in jars) or freezer containers. Freeze for up to 6 months.
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Shop This Post
Hi, I'm Annie. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor in nutrition and nearly 20 year of both classical training, and self-taught experience, I've spent my career proving that home cooking can be practical, delicious and inspiring. What started in 2013 as one food blog has grown into a full-time business. Today, my husband Clayton and I run five food websites that connect with millions of home cooks every month.
When I'm not in the kitchen or behind the camera, I'm using fueling my love of travel, or chasing down new ideas that keep food fun and fresh.
Leave a Comment